Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. | The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor. |
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. | Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up. |
Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. | Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin. |
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. | Wealth is a ransom for a person's life, but the poor get no threats. |
Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. | By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice. |
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. | Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it. |
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. | Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. |
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. | Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm. |
An honest witness does not lie; a false witness breathes lies. | A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. |
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. | There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death. |
Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! | In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. |
People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. | Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly. |
Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. | Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. |
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. | A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. |
Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. | A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. |
Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise. | A fool despises a parent's instruction, but the one who heeds admonition is prudent. |
Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. | Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it. |
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. | Without counsel, plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed. |
Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! | To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is! |
Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor. | The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor. |
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. | Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. |
Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. | Better is a little with righteousness than large income with injustice. |
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. | The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. |
How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! | How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. |
Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. | Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper, and happy are those who trust in the Lord. |
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